Carton



D66.` 16, 1941. G, MARSHALL' 2,266,649 Y CARTON Filed April 13, 1940 Patente-cl Dec. 16, 1941 UNITEDV STATES PATENT QFFICE CARTON Genevieve Marshall, Chicago, Ill. I Application April 13, 1940, Serial No. 329,546

2 Claims.

My invention relates to cartons, and more particularly to those in which ice cream or other foods are soli-dly packed or frozen, and my main object is to provide a carton of this type with means to facilitate the opening of the carton to the extent of exposing the mass or block of its contents for easy access and removal. I

A further object of the invention is to locate the aforesaid means in a manner to affect a minimum area or extent of the carton material.

An additional object of the invention is to apply the improvement in a manner which is `adaptable to all cartons which have a single-ply bottom.

Another object of the invention is to develop the novel carton with an improvement which is of utmost simplicity and involves no appreciable extra cost in the manufacture of the carton.

With the above objects in view and any others which may suggest themselves from the description to follow, a better understanding of the invention may be had by reference to the accompanying drawing, in which- Fig. 1 is a frontal perspective view showing the improved carton;

Fig, 2 is a perspective view showing the carton laid on its back after its top has been opened, and with the improved portion more fully in evidence; and

Fig. 3 is a perspective view showing the manner in which the opening of the carton has been eX- tended to allow increased access to its contents.

It is a familiar fact that solidly packed or frozen foods deposited in cartons for consumer use are frequently very hard to remove. The cartons have the usual top flaps which may be opened for access to the food, but the latter being packed or frozen in the walls of the carton adheres so firmly to the same that parts of the carton must be torn away before the food can be released, often upsetting the contents or creating a messy condition.

I am aware of the fact that various steps have been taken to devise cartons which are perforated or scored in a manner to permit the Walls thereof to be easily detached from each other or from the balance of the carton, but those which have come to my attention are either too involved, require extensive operations, or expose the food in a position to get out of hand or become upset. It has therefore been my intention to provide means for opening the carton which are efficient from all points of view.

In accordance with the foregoing, I denotes the side walls of a typical ice cream, confection or food carton which is made with a single-ply bottom I I. The sidewalls of the carton have top cover flaps I2 and I3; and the front and back walls I4 and I5 have closure flaps I6 and I'I, respectively, these having the usual interlocking tongues I8 and I9.

As previously mentioned, it is apparent that the opening of the flaps I2, I3, I6 and II will not of itself sufce to permit the removal of the packed or frozen food. It is therefore my intention to use the flap IG as an implement to neatly detach the greater portion of the front wall I4 and the bottom II from the balance of the carton exposing three sides or faces of the food and facilitating the separation of the side walls i from the corresponding sides of the food mass or block.

In carrying out the idea just outlined, the fold I9 of the front wall I4 and the ap I6 is slitted for a short distance from both ends las'indicated at 20.- The front wall I4 is then formed with a vertical scoring line 22 from the inner limit of each slit 20 to the bottom of the said wall, the scoring line being continued along the side regions of the bottom I I as indicated at 23. However, the scoring lines 23 only extend to a short distance from the back edge of the bottom II, terminating with biased sections 24 to the corresponding corners of the bottom.

With the carton treated as just described, it may be initially opened at the top in the usual manner, and then laid on its back as shown in Fig. 2. 'I'he tongue I8 is now grasped to impart an upward pull on the ap I6. The slitted portions Zil of the flap I6 and wall I4 will permit the latter to have a start for the severance of the medial or main portion of the wall from its side portions along the scoring lines 22. And it follows that, after the main portion of the wall I4 has been detached as described, the continued pull on the ap I5 extends the process of drawing on the corresponding portion of the bottom II until it becomes fully detached from its side portions. The detaching action just described is facilitated by the weakness of the carton along the scoring lines, so that a tendency to tear the carton along its corners cannot develop.

The mass or block of food is now exposed on three sides, with the carton opened out as indicated in Fig. 3. However, the nal and spreading sections 24 of the scoring lines 23 have removed the connections between the remainders IIa of the bottom II and the back I5, such connections having served as braces for the side walls i0. These, if not already loose, may now be swung apart to free the mass or block of food and also expose the corresponding sides thereof.

It is understood that the scoring lines 22 and 23, owing to the thickness or stiffness of the cardboard usually employed, will be fairly deep, whereby to facilitate the severance of the main wall portions Without undue elort. However, the said lines will extend slightly short of penetration, as the perforation of any side or bottom Wall of the carton would be detrimental to the same in case the food therein tended to liquefy or become moist. While the slitting of the top corner of the carton at the places 20 creates perforations, it must be observed that the slitted zones are in the top region of the carton, and

that this region is only assembled but not sealed'.

It will be evident from the above description that I have provided a carton opening means which is not only handy, but also of exceeding simplicity. It is only natural to pull on a top ap cf a carton to extend its initial opening, and the slitted portions 2B offer a start, so to speak, easily leading to the scoring lines 22, by way of which the front of the carton may quickly be opened; and it follows that, with the carton laid back as shown in Fig. 2\, the continued pulling movement quickly and neatly accomplishes the balance of the opening operation. The process thus performed involves a direct and continuous course through the three scoring lines on each side portion of the carton, with no deviations or other operations. Including the initial starting slits 20, these lines are the simplest or fewest means which I have found feasible to procure the extent of carton opening described, so that a minimum number of operations are required in the manufacture of the carton to suit it to the improved use. Further, a carton improved as described shows only the scoring lines 22 in View, and these may be practically invisible if their conspicuous appearance is not desired; or,

they may be printed as Well, if their attention is to be drawn to the user. Finally, it will be apparent that only a slight addition will be required in the mechanism for producing the carton in order to impart the improved characteristics thereto.

While I have described the invention along specific lines, various minor changes and re-lnements may be made without departing from its principle, and I desire to consider all such changes and renements as coming Within the scope and spirit of the appended claims. I claim:

l. A carton having a top closing flap foldable from its front wall, the fold between the latter and said flap being formed with a short slit from each of its ends, scoring lines in said walls commencing from the inner ends of the slits and descending in spaced relation to the sides of the walls to the bottom of the latter, and direct continuations of said scoring lines along the bottom of the carton, said continuations stopping short of the remote side of said bottom, and diverging extensions of said continuations directed to the corners of said remote side with the sides of said bottom.

2. A carton having a top closing ap foldable from its front wall, the fold between the latter and said flap being formed with a short slit from each of its ends, scoring lines in said walls commencing from the inner ends of the slits and descending in parallelism to the sides of the Walls to the bottom of the latter, direct continuations of said scoring lines along the bottom of the carton and in parallelism with the sides of the latter, said continuations stopping short of the remote side of said bottom, and diverging extensions of said continuations directed to the corners of said remote side with the sides of said bottom.

GENEVIEVE MARSHALL. 

